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Meman, fondly remembered in Zimbabwe cricket as Babu, played one ODI for his country, during the 1987 World Cup against India

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2025Mohammed Ahmed Meman, the former Zimbabwe offspiner and team manager, has died at the age of 73, after a period of ill health.Meman, fondly remembered in Zimbabwe cricket as Babu, played one ODI for his country, during the 1987 World Cup against India, where he scored 19 runs.He also represented Shropshire in England’s Minor Counties Championship between 1977 and 1980. During his stint with the county, Meman made 888 runs – including two centuries – and took 55 wickets in 32 matches.Meman served as Zimbabwe’s national team manager between 1992 and 2006, guiding the side through its early years as a Test-playing nation. He later contributed as a selector.”ZC is deeply grateful for Babu’s enduring contributions to cricket in our country, both on and off the field,” Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) said in a press release.”His passion, humility and dedication will always be remembered by those who had the privilege of working with him. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Aisha, and children – Iqbal, Fazila and Sadiya – as well as to his extended family, friends and all who knew and loved him.”

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Fortaleza e Grêmio empataram em 1 a 1 na tarde deste sábado (30), no Castelão, pela 25ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Em um jogo com oportunidades para os dois lados, Thiago Galhardo converteu cobrança de pênalti para os donos da casa aos 42 minutos do primeiro tempo, mas Luis Suárez deixou tudo igual no placar aos 34′ da etapa final.

FICHA TÉCNICA
FORTALEZA 1 X 1 GRÊMIO
25ª RODADA DO BRASILEIRÃO

Data e hora:30 de setembro de 2023, às 16h (de Brasília)
Estádio:Castelão, Fortaleza (CE)
Árbitro:Raphael Claus (Fifa/SP)
Assistentes:Alex Ang Ribeiro (Fifa/SP) e Daniel Luis Marques (SP)
VAR:Daiane Muniz (Fifa/SP)
Cartões amarelos:Nathan e Lucas Besozzi (Grêmio), Benevenuto (Fortaleza)
Gols:Thiago Galhardo (1-0, aos 42′ do 1ºT), Luis Suárez (1-1, aos 34′ do 1ºT)

FORTALEZA:Fernando Miguel; Dudu (Tinga, aos 44′ do 2ºT), Benevenuto, Tobias Figueiredo e Gonzalo Escobar;Pedro Augusto,Lucas Sasha e Lucas Crispim (Pochettino, aos 36′ do 2ºT); Machuca (Romarinho, aos 29′ do 2ºT), Pikachu (Calebe, aos 28′ do 2ºT) e Galhardo (Silvio Romero, aos 44′ do 2ºT).Técnico:Juan Pablo Vojvoda.

GRÊMIO:Gabriel Grando; João Pedro, Geromel, Kannemann e Reinaldo; Carballo (Lucas Besozzi, aos 13′ do 2ºT), Pepê e Nathan (Ronald, aos 13′ do 2ºT); Cristaldo (Everton Galdino, após o intervalo), João Pedro Galvão (Ferreira*, aos 33′ do 1ºT) – (Fábio*, aos 44′ do 2ºT) e Suárez.Técnico:Renato Gaúcho.

Celtic have endured a frustrating few weeks on the pitch, which has included four goalless draws in all competitions for Brendan Rodgers and his players.

They were held to 0-0 draws in regulation time of both legs of their Champions League qualifying clash with Kairat, to a 0-0 draw in the Old Firm match, and a 0-0 draw in the most recent game against Hibernian.

As shown in the highlights above, Celtic missed a host of huge chances to open the scoring in front of their own fans at Parkhead, with Kelechi Iheanacho, in particular, wasteful in front of goal.

Scoring goals is not the only issue that the Hoops have had this season, though, because they have also failed to find a suitable alternative to captain Callum McGregor.

The 32-year-old defensive midfielder has started ten of his 11 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions, per Transfermarkt, and played 931 minutes.

This shows that Rodgers has not found an alternative to the skipper who can step in and allow the veteran midfielder to rest and recharge ahead of important matches.

Why Celtic need an alternative to Callum McGregor

The Hoops need to find a player who can be a viable option in the number six position because the wear and tear on McGregor’s legs was evident in the recent 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League.

Celtic’s captain had played almost an hour against a lower league outfit in the League Cup in the game before the trip to Serbia, having played 300 minutes in the three matches before that, per Sofascore.

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

98%

Defensive ground duels won

2/6

Aerial duels won

0/1

Tackles won

1

Dribbled past

1x

Fouls committed

2

The result, as you can see in the table above, was that McGregor looked a little bit off the pace against the Serbian giants, losing five of his seven defensive duels on the ground and in the air.

His passing, as usual, was almost immaculate, completing 98% of his attempted passes, but he lacked the mobility and energy to win the majority of his physical duels, which is a cause for concern heading into the rest of the league phase in Europe.

The former Scotland international is a crucial player for the Hoops and keeping him fresh and ready to give his all in the Europa League matches could improve his performances and increase the team’s chances of picking up more points on the European stage.

Johnny Hayes described the left-footed maestro as a “priceless” and “irreplaceable” player earlier this season, but the Hoops are now looking at a star who could solve the McGregor conundrum.

Celtic eyeing surprise move for free agent

According to journalist Mark Hendry’s Substack report, Celtic are considering a surprise move to sign free agent central midfielder Pierre Ekwah, despite not being linked with any midfield signings since the window slammed shut.

The outlet claims that the Hoops have been offered the chance to sign the French midfield maestro after his contract with Saint-Etienne was ripped up at the end of the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Celtic already took advantage of a similar situation when they signed Kelechi Iheanacho the day after the transfer window slammed shut, thanks to Sevilla ripping his deal up on deadline day.

Ekwah, like Iheanacho was before his move to Parkhead, is now free and available to sign for a new club. Mark Hendry’s report states that he has been offered to both Celtic and Rangers as an option.

The Scottish Premiership champions are now considering whether or not to take up the option to bring the left-footed star to Parkhead on a freebie, but they should push to get a deal done because he could be a dream alternative to McGregor.

Why Celtic should sign Pierre Ekwah

Celtic should be bringing Ekwah in on a free transfer because it is a low-risk move that could pay off big time in the long run, given that he is a player who has already proven himself in a major European league.

The 23-year-old star impressed in Ligue 1 with Saint-Etienne in the 2024/25 campaign on loan from Sunderland, but decided to move on from the French club after they were relegated to Ligue 2 and activated their obligation to sign him permanently.

Ekwah seemingly was not keen on playing in the second division in France, hence his exit at the start of September, and that is not a surprise when you consider how well he performed last season in spite of his club’s relegation.

Appearances

29

Pass accuracy

88%

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.6

Error led to goal

0

Duel success rate

57%

Duels won per game

5.0

Aerial duel success rate

71%

As you can see in the table above, the former West Ham United youngster won the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air, whilst remaining reliable and composed in possession with a pass accuracy of 88%.

Ekwah ranked within the top 11% of midfielders in Ligue 1 for duels won (145), the top 17% for tackles won (57), the top 3% for interceptions (47), and the top 8% for ball recoveries (157), per FotMob.

These statistics show that the left-footed star is a mobile defensive enforcer in the number six role. He can get around the pitch to dominate opposition players in duels, whilst being reliable with the ball at his feet on top of that.

The free agent midfielder, who was described as a “powerful” player by journalist and Sunderland fan Josh Bunting, could be the perfect alternative to McGregor to provide the skipper with some time off in domestic matches ahead of European ties.

Rodgers could play Ekwah from the start in league or cup matches before Europa League games, which Ekwah would be ineligible for, to make sure that McGregor is fully fit and raring to go in the big European matches.

At the age of 23, the French star is also nine years younger than the captain and could be the long-term successor to his place in the team, which is another reason why this free agent move could be a shrewd piece of business by the club.

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Celtic have a potential replacement for Kelechi Iheanacho in their academy, and it is not Johnny Kenny.

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Overall, Celtic must move quickly to beat Rangers to Ekwah’s signature because his arrival at Parkhead could solve the McGregor conundrum at the base of the midfield.

Harry Kane created England history during Tuesday's 5-0 win over Latvia, as the Bayern Munich striker scored more than one goal for the 13th time in his Three Lions career. His brace in Riga beat Nat Lofthouse's record of 12 times achieving the feat, and took the 32-year-old to 76 England goals in 110 appearances. The Three Lions' record goalscorer looks set also to become record appearance maker before too long.

• Kane double seals another spot in the history books

  Kane’s latest record was reported following victory in Latvia. He continues his impeccable record for England, which has only become better under Tuchel. He has struck seven goals in seven games under the German, linking up well with his former Bayern manager to continue his record-breaking form in front of goal.

  Kane has at times been criticised for England in recent major tournaments, though, particularly in Euro 2024 when his off-ball work was seen as a hindrance to the team. The Three Lions reached the final and Kane was joint Golden Boot winner with three goals, but there were still some fans who called for a new face in attack.

  Just over 12 months on, Kane is in as good a run of form as he has ever been. He has begun the new season for the German champions in scintillating fashion, scoring 18 goals and laying on another three assists in just 10 matches.

  He won the European Golden Shoe after scoring 36 Bundesliga goals in his debut campaign in 2023-24, and currently looks set to be in a tense battle with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland for this season’s award. Kane truly is on top of his game.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  England captain speaks after thumping Latvia victory

  Kane said after the game, in which England secured World Cup qualification with two matches to go: "Another tournament! I said it before, we make it look easy but these games can be tough.

  "These groups can be tough and we have to be fully focused in every game we play and I thought today we were at a very high level. We talk about no matter who we play, setting a high standard to keep the momentum we've built and I think that showed this week.

  "Qualifying with two games to go is a great achievement. Zero goals conceded and we're playing some great football. We can only take care of the opposition in front of us and we've done that very well so far.

  "I'd say [I’m feeling good], the numbers are, obviously. The way I'm feeling on the pitch seeing the passes and the runs, physically I'm in a good place and hopefully I can keep it going."

• Competition for places and away support also hot topics

  "You want competition in every place, every position and I think we have that," Kane continued. "We've still got some fantastic players who aren't here who will be itching to get back in the squad in November and we're going to need them as well.

  "As we know, going up to major tournaments, there's going to be chop and change, we've got some fantastic players who aren't quite fit and should be fit next month. That's the competition, keep pushing each other and see where it takes us.

  "I don't think you can question away support ever, the way they were tonight was fantastic. We've qualified for another major tournament, and we know the England fans enjoy going out. America's going to be a special place to play in and we've got something to look forward to now, so credit to them for travelling out here and showing the noise they did."

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  Kane and England prepare for North American summer

  Kane and England will now look forward to November’s international break, knowing their qualification is now secured and Tuchel will have the chance to try out new faces and truly get to grips with all the talented players he has at his disposal. With the likes of Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer still to return to the set-up and young stars such as Adam Wharton waiting for their chance to make an impression, it is an exciting time for the Three Lions.

  As for Kane, he has undoubtedly silenced his critics with his recent form for both club and country. With the former Tottenham Hotspur hero still on the top of his game, the Three Lions have a much better chance of going all the way next summer. If Tuchel’s side are to make the World Cup a special one, captain Kane looks set to be right at the centre of it all.

The Lewis family have been tipped to pump more money into Tottenham, following the shock departure of ex-chairman Daniel Levy last week, and these funds could be put towards their recruitment plans.

That is according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, who shared news on a live broadcast that ENIC are planning a cash injection.

Levy helped to transform the Lilywhites into one of world football’s highest-revenue generating clubs over his 24-year tenure running the club, with Tottenham also moving to their state-of-the-art new stadium to seriously bolster their commercial appeal off the field.

World Football’s highest revenue-generating clubs — 2025

Value

Real Madrid

£1.2 billion

Man City

£727 million

PSG

£700 million

Man United

£668 million

Bayern Munich

£664 million

FC Barcelona

£659.5 million

Arsenal

£621.5 million

Liverpool

£620 million

Tottenham Hotspur

£533 million

Chelsea

£474 million

However, Levy attracted criticism for a perceived lack of transfer spending compared to Spurs’ Premier League rivals, and this was undoubtedly a factor in them winning just two major trophies since 2001.

Thomas Frank could now be backed by the ENIC and the Lewis family as CEO Vinai Vinkatesham, who is set for a more hands-on role after Levy’s departure, aims to deliver more success.

Tottenham signed an array of star players during the last window under Levy, with Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha, Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani chief among them.

The latter two are poised to make their Premier League debuts against West Ham in a crunch London derby clash this weekend, and according to ex-Levy employee Bryan King, ex-Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher could be a target to watch out for in this post-Levy era.

Tottenham tipped to sign Conor Gallagher in £45 million deal

They’ll have to wait until January, but King believes that Tottenham signing Gallagher from Atlético Madrid is a very realistic proposition.

As uncertainty continues to surround Yves Bissouma’s future, Gallagher could come as an excellent replacement for the Mali international who has fallen out of favour with Frank.

The England international can play as an attacking midfielder when required, known for his excellent ball-winning ability, energy and tenacity in the middle of the park, and would help to fill Tottenham’s ‘locally trained’ quota for European competitions.

The only caveat is whether Gallagher, given his Chelsea roots, would want to swap Diego Simeone’s side for an ex-rival.

If he decides that is worth the move back to London, Frank would undoubtedly be securing a real asset, and one who Moises Caicedo has called a “machine”.

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O Fluminense está próximo de contratar por empréstimo o meia uruguaio Leo Fernández, do Toluca, do México. Segundo o “ge”, o jogador desembarca nesta semana no Rio de Janeiro para realizar exames médicos. Se aprovado, ele será emprestado por uma temporada, com opção de compra.

Leo Fernández é um meia de 24 anos, baixinho e canhoto, considerado uma promessa do futebol uruguaio. Ele é da mesma geração de Federico Valverde, do Real Madrid, e atuou ao lado de Darwin Nuñez, atualmente no Liverpool, no sub-22 da seleção. Revelado no Fênix (URU), o jogador se transferiu para o Tigres, do México, em 2019, por 600 mil dólares (R$ 2,3 milhões na época). Por lá, ganhou a Concachampions, em 2020, e depois foi negociado com o Toluca.

+ Veja a tabela da Libertadores

Conhecido por ser um finalizador, Leo foi um dos destaques nas últimas temporadas. Em 2022, marcou 13 gols e deu 13 assistências na liga nacional e consolidou uma idolatria no clube. Porém, recebeu muitas críticas sem a bola e perdeu espaço com o treinador Nacho Ambriz, tornando-se reserva neste ano. Com contrato até 2026, ele e o clube entenderam que uma mudança de ares pode ser positiva para ambas as partes.

Birmingham City aren’t going to be accused of being dull anytime soon.

Chris Davies and Co. have stormed back into the Championship as big spenders, with £10m solely splashed out on the services of ex-Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi, among signing off on another eight summer buys in total.

However, they aren’t having much luck when it comes to securing the signing of Chuba Akpom, with a potential loan-to-buy deal for the ex-Arsenal striker to move to the Blues now up in the air, owing to a last-gasp advance from Ipswich Town.

It’s even being stated that Akpom prefers a switch to Suffolk over relocating to St. Andrew’s, leaving the Blues back at square one when trying to add in another top-quality striker to the camp.

Birmingham ready to relaunch move for striker

Akpom would be an ideal addition to the newly promoted side’s ranks, considering he can boast an impressive 36 strikes in the Championship, with most of those goals finding the back of the net when he was donning Middlesbrough red.

However, Birmingham’s opening day opponents might well be gifted with that wealth of experience, instead. Yet, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom in Davies’ camp.

An exclusive report by Football League World has revealed that the ambitious second-tier side is now ready to reignite a move for past target Marvin Ducksch to soften this Akpom blow, with a deal falling flat in the first place owing to the German’s injury difficulties.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

With Ducksch on the mend, the potent Werder Bremen marksman is now being viewed as a high-priority target again on Birmingham’s shortlist, with the 31-year-old perhaps going down as an even better signing than the former Boro attacker if everything slots into place smoothly.

Why Ducksch could be a better signing than Akpom

After all, while Akpom is the talk of the town at the moment as the main, swirling rumour, he hasn’t always been a deadly striker across his varied career to date.

Indeed, even Akpom’s highest peak at the Riverside Stadium – where he bagged 28 goals in one season during the 2022/23 campaign – had some lows along the way, too, with only five more strikes coming his way for the Teesside club, before then departing for Ajax.

Aside from those flashes of goal-scoring excellence at Boro, Akpom has regularly struggled to be a clinical goal machine, as seen in him only firing home three goals last season for the Dutch giants in Eredivisie action. Across his 41 games in the Dutch top-flight, too, the 29-year-old has squandered a costly 16 big chances.

On the contrary, Ducksch has continued to age like a fine wine in his comfortable surroundings at Bremen, with double digits hammered home by the lethal number seven across his last five seasons in Germany, before just coming unstuck last campaign with nine goals tallied up.

Games played

459

451

Goals scored

220

140

Assists

110

34

Career hat-tricks scored

2

3

Top goalscorer accolades

2x

1x

Looking at the table above really does reinforce why Birmingham could be winning themselves a steal by bagging Ducksch for just £1.7m – as other reports suggest – with the lofty Dortmund-born star way out in front with his career goals as well, as seen in his stacked haul of 220 strikes from 459 games. Akpom lags behind on a weak 140, on the contrary.

Moreover, the “extraordinary” 31-year-old – as he’s dubbed by Bremen teammate Mitchell Weiser – would be able to link up with the likes of Jay Stansfield and Demarai Gray to devastating effect, with Ducksch sticking out as a creative machine, when amassing a ridiculous 110 assists, as much as he steals the limelight when finishing off his own chances with ease.

No doubt, Birmingham’s confidence in the transfer market had been slightly dented by the whole Akpom saga.

But, if they were able to pick up Ducksch instead, it would be the perfect way to swiftly brush all this unwanted talk under the carpet.

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Wolves are “looking” at the signing of an exciting attacking player in the summer transfer window, according to reliable journalist Mike McGrath.

Wolves targeting moves for Premier League pair

With the new Premier League season now on the horizon, Wanderers know the importance of adding to their squad and ensuring they aren’t looking over their shoulders in 2025/26.

Promisingly, Wolves are being linked with new signings all over the pitch, with Chelsea centre-back Axel Disasi emerging as a target at the heart of the defence. Whether Levi Colwill’s ACL injury puts paid to his teammate moving to Molineux remains to be seen, though.

Liverpool attacker Ben Doak is believed to be wanted by a host of Premier League clubs, with the Reds possibly selling him permanently for around £20m this summer, and Wanderers are one of the teams who are reportedly in the mix to snap him up.

The loss of Matheus Cunha to Manchester United was a big blow earlier in the window, with further reinforcements needed to fill the void left by him, and Wolves have now been linked with a player who could be ideal to come in and make a difference in the final third.

Wolves "looking" at 22 y/o attacker

According to McGrath on X, who cites fellow Telegraph journalist John Percy, Wolves are “looking” at Nantes attacker Matthis Abline as a “strong” option this summer.

Abline may not be too well-known to English supporters, given his age and the fact that Nantes aren’t one of France’s biggest clubs, but he is an exciting option nonetheless. The 22-year-old Frenchman has scored 16 goals in 60 appearances for his current club, which a good return for a young player, and his versatility can be a weapon for Vitor Pereira.

The youngster played 27 times as a number nine last season, but also appeared in eight games on the right and a couple of occasions as a left winger, with most of his goals coming through the middle. Scout Jacek Kulig has admired the quality and long-term potential that Abline possesses for some time, saying he has an “gold” in his game back in April 2024.

While it would be unfair for Wolves supporters to expect the Nantes ace to come straight in and be a tailor-made replacement for Cunha, he would still be seen as a key man who could mature into a genuine star over time.

Matthis Abline’s international stats

Caps

Goals

France Under-21s

9

2

France Under-20s

10

5

France Under-19s

11

6

France Under-17s

7

5

France Under-16s

7

4

The fact that he has scored 22 times for France at youth level speaks volumes about his ability, and Wanderers should be viewing him as a fantastic option to bring in.

Former New Zealand captain Tim Southee will be at the centre of a selection debate ahead of the first Test against India as the visitors ponder the balance of their attack for Bengaluru and weigh up whether to play three quicks.Southee stood down from the captaincy after the 2-0 defeat in Sri Lanka last month and there’s a chance he loses his place in the XI straightaway after a lean run in format where he has taken eight wickets at 73.12 this year.Related

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He is working to discover the “snap” in his bowling action but though be boasts a handy record in India with 20 wickets at 28.70, including his career-best 7 for 64 in Bengaluru 12 years ago, his place will likely be under scrutiny whichever way New Zealand structure their bowling attack.If they opt for just two quicks Matt Henry has a strong case to partner Will O’Rourke who was impressive in Sri Lanka, while if they played three the choice would then be between Southee’s experience or the extra pace of Ben Sears who made a mark on his debut against Australia in March.Head coach Gary Stead said that the discussions between him and Southee after the Sri Lanka series would remain private but acknowledged they were “delicate” and did concede that without Southee as captain it allowed greater flexibility in selection.Matt Henry will be in the mix to return to the side•AFP/Getty Images

“Like all Test tours and series we have reviews at the end of it and Tim and I had a conversation around it, then he made the decision to stand down,” Stead said. “He thought it was in the best interests of the team. I supported his decision around that.”It allows different players to be considered in roles and as a selector and coach you are always trying to put what you think is the very best team out there. With Tim as captain, he was the guy who was starting for us and leading that team and think we were always looking at the options that were best for the team going forward.”An additional factor with the balance of New Zealand’s attack is the impact on the lower-order batting. Mitchell Santner batted No. 8 against Sri Lanka while Michael Bracewell would be another spin-bowling option, but Bengaluru turns out to help fast bowlers, and three quicks were selected, then either Henry or Southee would need to take on the role of chipping in with some runs down the order.”They’ve both scored fifties so that’s always the balance that possibly in New Zealand you think about more, especially if it’s going to be real seamer-friendly,” Stead said. “Think here the first thing you want to do is make sure you’ve got the bowlers you think can take 20 wickets.”Southee is working with bowling coach Jacob Oram on trying to rediscover his wicket-taking form and has been studying video from successful periods in a career which has so far brought 382 Test wickets, leaving him on the brink of becoming just the second New Zealand bowler to 400.”From my conversations with Tim he recognised he hasn’t been at his best but there’s certainly no desire to not get back there,” Stead said. “He’s working hard in the background, he’s doing everything he can and trying to rediscover what that little thing he feels is missing is.”There’s a couple of little technical points Tim’s working on. He’s working with [Jacob] Oram around them. We’ve looked back at quite a bit of video from previous years and times he’s played in India and had success. It’s just trying to rediscover that and find a little bit, I guess you could call it snap back into his action.”Stead added that Will Young was likely to bat No. 3 in the first Test in the absence of Kane Williamson who is recovering from a groin strain. There remains hope that Williamson will be available for the second Test with a call likely to be made during the first few days of the Bengaluru game.India will be without Mohammed Shami but Stead noted the depth of talent India were able to call on. “If they have an injury it doesn’t seem to effect them like other teams. There’s someone else who can come in who is equally adept,” he said. “They have the mass of numbers they can call but they are also very skilful and are an experienced team with a lot of Test caps. They play a brand of cricket that makes it very difficult for you over here but that’s the challenge that’s ahead of us.”

After watching on as the last six promoted sides suffered instant relegation, Sunderland have entered this transfer window ready to put an end to that trend and are now reportedly set to welcome yet another impressive signing.

Sunderland continuing summer overhaul

To say the Black Cats are ensuring that they’re Premier League-ready would be an understatement. Those in Wearside have shown no hesitation when it comes to spending this summer, breaking their club record to sign Habib Diarra and following that up by welcoming Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, Enzo Le Fee on a permanent deal and Chemsdine Talbi.

After becoming the latest to arrive, Talbi told Sunderland’s official website: “I’m really excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity to play for this Club. I made the decision because it’s a great project with a talented, exciting team full of young players – and that really motivated me.

“The Premier League is the biggest and best league in the world, so I’m looking forward to getting started. I know the fans will get behind me from the start, and I can’t wait to see them at the stadium.”

Those at the Stadium of Light have every reason to be excited by the winger’s arrival after he scored seven goals and created another five in all competitions at Club Brugge last season. At just 20 years old, the new arrival is a player full of potential and one who could realise that potential in full under Regis Le Bris.

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Even after Talbi, however, Sunderland are still not done in the transfer window. Reports have now emerged that the Black Cats have agreed a deal to sign yet another reinforcement and arguably one of their most impressive yet.

Sunderland agree £18m deal to sign Simon Adingra

According to Fabrizio Romano, Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign Simon Adingra from Brighton & Hove Albion with a Thursday medical set to be completed for the winger to finalise a move worth an initial €21m (£18m).

Whilst Adingra struggled to keep hold of a starting place under Fabian Hurzeler last season – starting just 12 Premier League games – he remains a player full of potential at just 23 years old. For just £19m, Sunderland have arguably landed an absolute bargain.

After drawing with Liverpool in 2023, former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi sung the praises of Adingra alongside his Brighton teammate Carlos Baleba, saying: “We played with a lot of very young players. I have to congratulate my club because they found another two great players – Adingra and [Carlos] Baleba.”

So, although his momentum was halted by Hurzeler last season, Adingra now has the perfect opportunity to get back on track and hand Sunderland a quick, tricky new winger.